The present invention relates to games or amusement devices and, more particularly, to animated games involving manipulation of projected images.
Amusement devices currently in widespread use include those wherein a player or operator manually controls the position of an image on a viewing surface. Most commonly, the image is presented on a cathode ray tube employing video circuits and electronic controls. In order to be economically feasible such game devices or relatively high technical sophistication must be produced in large quantities since they commonly require designing and producing customized integrated circuitry.
In addition to high initial costs which must be ammortized over a large number of units, such devices require highly skilled personnel for any necessary repairs or maintenance. Furthermore, while certain images which move upon the CRT screen may be in the form of actual objects, these are not normally under selective positional control by the player or operator. Only images in the form of lines or dots can conveniently be placed under selective control.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a game wherein realistic images of persons, objects, etc., are projected on a viewing surface, the position of the images(s) upon the surface being controlled by the player(s) and scoring of the game being related to such position.
Another object is to provide a coin operated game involving the projection of photographic images and the manipulation of the position of such images on a viewing surface by one or more players.
A further object is to provide a game of a relatively high degree of technical sophistication which is economical to manufacture in small as well as large quantities and which is relatively simple to repair and maintain.
A still further object is to provide an adversary game in which two players individually control both the position upon a viewing surface of respective visual images and the type of image projected, scoring of the game being controlled by a combination of position and type of image.
In a more general sense, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and interesting game involving optical image projection and electrical actuation.